A recent controlled study
suggests that a six-week balance
and eye movement-focused
exercise program improved
balance, reduced fatigue and
reduced disability due to
dizziness in a group of people
with multiple sclerosis, with
improvements lasting for at
least four weeks following
supervised training. Larger
and longer studies are needed
to determine how long the
benefits last, and which people
with MS would be most likely
to respond to the training
program. The study was
partially funded by a research
grant from the National MS
Society.

Study: Does
pregnancy cut MS risk?

Women’s risk for developing
clinically isolated syndrome
(CIS), which often leads to
multiple sclerosis, decreased
with a greater number of
pregnancies, according
to a comprehensive study
undertaken in Australia. CIS is
a first neurologic episode caused
by inflammation or damage to
nerve fiber–insulating myelin in
the brain or spinal cord.

Investigators found that
women who had one pregnancy
were nearly half as likely to
develop CIS, and those with
three or more pregnancies had
about one-fourth the risk of
developing CIS compared with
controls.

Although the results of the
Ausimmune Study (supported
by the Society, among other
organizations) need to be
confirmed, the findings
encourage further exploration
of potential treatments such
as sex hormones, which may
mimic pregnancy’s benefits
in women with MS. The sex
hormone estriol is currently
in clinical trials, supported by
the Society and the National
Institutes of Health, to treat
women with MS.

Partnering to speed
pain and spasticity therapy

The Society’s Fast Forwardprogram and ConcertPharmaceuticals Inc. arecollaborating to advancedevelopment of C-21191toward clinical trials in peoplewith multiple sclerosis. Thissubstance may reduce spasticityand pain—two common andoften debilitating symptomsexperienced by people withMS—without some of theside effects seen in currenttreatments. With the supportof Fast Forward, Concertplans to complete a batteryof preclinical toxicology andpharmacology studies beforebeginning clinical trials inpeople with MS.

Hotter days may
worsen cognitive ability

People with multiple sclerosis
often report worse physical
symptoms when the weather is
hot. A recent study concludes
that hot weather may also
worsen the ability to perform
mental tasks in some people
with MS.

Researchers tested 40 people
with MS and 40 people without
MS or other conditions for
their ability to process a mental
task, as well as for learning
and memory, and recorded the
average outside temperature on
the testing day. Compared with
the people without MS, people
with MS tended to perform
significantly worse under hotter
conditions. The research, which
needs further exploration, may
help people plan activities and
may improve the design of
future clinical trials. The study
was funded by the Society and
National Institutes of Health. n